To be eligible for an undergraduate internship in the School of Communication, you must currently be a major in the School of Communication, have an overall GPA of a 2.8 or higher, and have completed a minimum of 24 credits in Communication classes (7600-level courses) by the term that you wish to intern.

If you have an overall GPA between 2.5 and 2.79 and/or you do not meet the credit-hour requirement (having less than 24, but at least 18), you can appeal to the School of Communication Internship Board by letter (explaining why an exception should be made in your case) and include the letter(s) with your application materials.

Graduate students must be enrolled and in good standing in the graduate program and have permission from their faculty advisor.

You must complete the School of Communication Internship Program Student Application. Make certain to complete all areas, include any appeal letters (see above), and attach a copy of your current resume. Submit all materials to the School of Communication, Kolbe Hall, Room 108, before the application deadline.

Internship Application Deadlines:

• Fall Semester Internships: Applications must be received no later than the first Friday in April of the same year
• Spring Semester Internships: Applications must be received no later than the first Friday in October of the preceding year
• Summer Internships: Applications must be received no later than the first Friday in February of the same year

Once all applications are received, a four-person Internship Board, comprised of faculty members in the School of Communication, reviews applications and approves those applicants who meet the eligibility requirements. If you are approved, you will be contacted by the Internship Coordinator. The Internship Coordinator will then schedule an appointment to meet with you in person to discuss potential internship placement based on your career aspirations and your academic preparation.

You will then set up an interview with the potential internship organization and meet with their internship supervisor. If an internship is agreed upon, an Internship Organization & Intern Agreement Form will be completed by you and the organization’s internship supervisor, outlining your internship responsibilities. Once the form is reviewed and approved by the Internship Coordinator, you will be able to register for internship academic credit. You can find this report in the Internship Forms section at the bottom of this page.

Undergraduate students will register for internship credit hours using course number 7600:480-001 through 7600:480-008 (with the last three digits referring to the number of credit hours being taken). Graduate students will register for internship credit hours using course number 7600:680-001 through 7600:680-006 (with the last three digits referring to the number of credit hours being taken).

As an undergraduate student, you can take from 1 to 8 credit hours for Internship Programs during your undergraduate academic career. You can complete several internships programs, but the total number of hours cannot exceed 8.

As a graduate student, you can take from 1 to 6 credit hours for Internship Programs during your graduate academic career.

Most internship organizations do not pay student interns. Internship experience earns credit hours for the student only. If a company does, however, offer financial compensation, the arrangement is made strictly between the organization and the intern. The School of Communication does not get involved in or represent any financial arrangements or obligations between interns and their internship organizations.

During the fall and spring semesters, each academic credit taken for the internship program requires 3.5 clock hours per week. During the 5-week summer period, each academic credit taken for the internship program requires 10.5 clock hours per week (available credit hours cannot exceed 4). During the 10-week summer period, each academic credit taken for the internship program requires 5.25 clock hours per week.

Please refer to the table below for specific weekly intern hours needed for each credit hour.

Yes, you will need to meet in the classroom during your internship program. During the fall and spring terms, interns will be required to attend five Class Seminars at a designated time, date, and place. These Class Seminars are mandatory, so failure to attend them will lower the intern’s semester grade to the next step for each seminar missed without an excused absence (students interning out-of-state are excused).

Yes, there are additional requirements/assignments that each intern must complete during their Internship Program.

First, interns must complete Weekly Internship Reports. It is the responsibility of each intern to provide a daily reporting of internship activities performed throughout the duration of his/her Internship Program and include detailed descriptions of the specific activities, tasks, or duties performed for each day on the weekly report.

It is also the intern’s responsibility to make sure the Internship Coordinator in the School of Communication receives the completed weekly reports on a consistent weekly basis. Failure to complete weekly internship reports or deliver them on a consistent weekly basis will negatively impact the intern’s final internship grade. Forms can be dropped off in the School of Communication, Kolbe Hall, Room 108, or faxed to the School of Communication at 330.972-8045.

Additional assignments may be presented in the Class Seminars.

Near the completion of the Internship Program, interns will also be responsible for turning in the following assignment:

• Final Internship Program Report (in which the intern presents the professional responsibilities performed, the skills used, and the technology incorporated during their Internship Program; the report will also include an evaluation of the importance of their internship experience)

In addition, graduate students are required to submit a previously agreed-upon scholarly research paper.

Your internship grade will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Completion of required Internship Hours
• Final Evaluation by Internship Supervisor (based on the criteria of attendance, attitude, comprehension, communication, work habits, and overall performance)
• Completion and timely submission of Weekly Internship Reports
• Attendance at Class Seminars
• Completion & Quality of Additional Assignments
• Completion & Quality of Final Internship Program Report
• Completion & Quality of Scholarly Research Paper (for graduate students only)